Questions from an 18 year old

[Gwazi]

Hello. I just turned 18 yesterday and I plan on going to the dermatologist before the end of March. My hairline is showing pretty early signs of recession in the temples. And my dad is bald so I know that its likely to happen to me too if I dont try to prevent. I am planning on starting finasteride whether the dermatologist prescribes it or not. All I want to do is maintain my current hairline for a long time, I do not need any regrowth. I would maybe consider a hair transplant in the future to fill in the temples, but I dont have to worry about that now. and Im OK with my current hairline. Im just scared of losing more.

So my questions start here. First off, I am planning on starting oral finasteride as soon as I visit a dermatologist. I am not too concerned about side effects. But my first question would be, what if somehow I wasnt going to actually lose hair for a long time. If I started taking finasteride now, could the DHT start growing resistant to finasteride and stronger and actually start or speed up my hair loss more than it would have without finasteride?

Also, I got a set of derma rollers recently for when I started this journey of fighting hairloss. I have a .5 mm, 1 mm, and 1.5 mm derma roller. Which one should I start out with and how often?



Thirdly, is it worth it to start using topical Minoxidil if I dont use it every day? I would probably only use it on days that I take a shower, which is usually every other day or once every 3 days depending on how busy I am. My hair is hard to style it how I want it and I dont feel like messing up my hair every day just to put stupid minoxidil in. (However I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep my hair)



Lastly, honestly my main concern is fighting hairloss but ending up making DHT stronger or more resistant (or however it works) and speeding up my hairloss. Is that really possible? Is it worth it to go full in with the big 3 right away? Or should I just start with 1 thing at a time such as oral finasteride, and if finasteride stops working eventually, start other things?



Thank you for any help I get

[FranklinChris]

Hey, as someone who really started going bald at 18 I wanted to chime in.

1) it’s rough to go bald so early. It gets better when you’re older.
2) do all you can to keep what you have. Keep hair short, avoid things that make your hair come out, massage your scalp every night, etc.
3) do your research on medicines and treatments. I’m no expert. Minoxidil is a good call IMO. The rest, not sure about but they weren’t successful for me.
4) resist the urge to get a transplant. It is almost always a horrible decision to do it when you’re young and you very may well regret for the rest of your life, which is an incredibly long time. Trust me. Plus if you do get a transplant it may prevent your other best option- shaving your head. Shaving you head is not great for all, but is great for many. Definitely better than being scarred and forced to wear a hat forever.
5) if you have a good head and face in terms of looking good with a shaved head, definitely consider it once baldness is beginning to get worse, faster. Also consider buzz type cuts for now, really makes you look less bald. I started shaving my head at 20. It wasn’t great but it made me feel a lot more confident, which leads to many gold things. If you have a decent face/head for it, it is the way to go IMO. Especially if you are tan.
6) it gets better.

[Dr Guncel Ozturk]

Starting finasteride early can help slow down or prevent hair loss if it's prescribed by your doctor.

Regarding your question about finasteride potentially making DHT more resistant and speeding up hair loss, it's important to understand that finasteride works by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called "5-alpha reductase", which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that is known to cause hair loss. While it's theoretically possible that DHT could become more resistant to finasteride over time, it's important to note that finasteride has been used safely and effectively for many years to treat hair loss.

As for dermaroller, it's important to note that dermaroller is not even proven to be effective for hair loss treatment. However, if you decide to use it, it's best to start with a smaller needle size (0.5mm) and gradually work your way up to larger sizes, as the larger needles can be more aggressive and cause more pain and side effects.

Regarding the use of topical Minoxidil, it's important to understand that it's most effective when used daily. If you decide to use it, it's important to apply it consistently. If you don't want to apply it every day, you can consider using it every other day or every three days, but it's important to keep in mind that this may reduce its effectiveness.

Finally, regarding your concerns about fighting hair loss and ending up making DHT stronger, understand that hair loss is a complex process and there is still much that is not known about it. It's always a good idea to start with one thing at a time and see how your body responds. Finasteride is a good place to start, and if it stops working, you can consider adding other treatments to your regimen.